US822912A - Concentrator. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JUNE 12, 1906.

M. P. BOSS. GONUENTRATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 12. 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1- ANDREW. B. GRAHAM ca. F mc-umuummsns. wAsmNGmN. n. c

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GDNGENTRATOR.

No. seas-212.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 1906-.

Application iiled January 1 2, 1905- Serial No. 240.713.

To all whom it mayc'oncer'n:

Be it known that I, MARTIN 1. Boss, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of Californ'ia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Concentrators; and I do hereby declare the foliowi'ng to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to concentrators of the 'endlesstravelingbelt type.

It consists in means for automatically counteracting the lateral crawl of the belt, as I shall hereinafter describe.

The objector my invention is to provide a simple and eflicient concentrator of great capacit'y, capable of accurate adjustment and requiring less constant attention than is usual with this class of machines.

Referring to the accompanyin drawings, Figure 1. is a plan of my concentrator. Fig. 2 is a side elevation taken from that sideopposite.the driving mechanism. Fig. 3 is a side elevation taken from the op osite side to that of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detai of the rocking or shaking mechanism. Fig. 5 is a detail of part of the adjusting connections of the controlling-rollers. u

A is a suitable bed, from which the main or belt-carrying frame B of the concentrator is su ported by means of standards, which in their best arrangement consist of one standard C on one side and located about midway of the length of the frame, as is shown in Fig. 2, and two standards 0 onthe other side, located nearer the ends of the frame, as shown in Fig. 3 These standards are of any character which will enable the frame B to be shaken, vibrated, or oscillated about their feet as a center, and for this purpose I have here shown them as having their feet stepped in suitable adjustable bearings c, secured to the bed A, said feet being of a nature adapting them to rock in the bearings. The single standard O, as shown in Fig. 2, is secured to the main frame B through the intervention of an intermediate frame (3, which supports the main frame at the two points 0 one near each end, while the standards 0, as shown in Fig. 3, rise directly to and are secured in proper manner to the main frame B. By this construction while the frame B is supported at four points it rests upon three base-points arranged in a triangle, which en-' able said frame to rock with greater ease and to be adjusted with greater accuracy. Mounted in suitable bearings at the head end of the frame B is the head-drum D, and mounted in the frame at the foot end is the foot-drum E. The last named drum is adjustably' mounted by the screws 6, (shown in Figs. 1 and 3,) the object of the adjustment being to regulate the distance between the drums to suit the length of the belt and to properly ad= just said length. Mounted upon and travel= ing over and between these terminal drums D and E is the endless belt F, made of suit= able material and having suitable side flanges f, as is usualwith the belts of this class of concentrators. The upper course of the belt is supported upon carrying-rolls G, while the lower course of the belt is deflected, tightened, and its true course controlled by the rollers H. There are two of these controlling-rollers, one near each end, and theyeXtend across the en tire width of the belt. Each is carried at one end, as shown in Fig. 3, b means of a hanger I, which is rigidly secure to the main frame B, as is indicated by the two screws connect ing it to said frame. The connection of the roller-axiswith the hangers I is a swiveling one to avoid cramping, as is indicated by the screw 'i. The other end of each roller, as is shown in Fig.2, is supported by a hanger I, which, as indicated by the single screw, is pivotally connected with the frame B, so that it can swing. The connection of the axis of the roller with said pivoted hanger is a swiveling one to avoid cramping, as is indicated by the screw i.

The object of pivotally supporting one end of the controlling-rollers H is to enable said rollers to be moved to an angle on either side of the transverse line of the belt in order by reason of said angular adjustment to true the belt in its travel by counteracting its lateral crawl. By this is meant that if the controlling-rollers H are initially set at right angles to the line of travel of the belt and no influences affect the belt to cause it to crawl side wise the belt will move true at right angles to saidrollers but in case such influences cause the belt to crawl laterally, as it always does, then by turning the controlling-rollers H to the proper angle the belt is caused to return to its proper position, In order to move the controlling-rollers H in unison, they are connected, as shown in Fig. 2, by a bar J. For the purpose of operating these rollers auto= matically I provide suitable means which are operated bythe belt itself in crawling over, which said means are connected with the rollers in such a manner as to move them Iro to the proper inclination to counteract the crawl of the belt and return it. These means consist of the cam-contacts K, one on each side of the machine, as is shown in Fig. 1. These contacts have relatively oppositely-arranged cam-faces, as shown in Fig. 1, and each lies in the horizontal plane of the side flange of the belt, as is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, whereby said side flanges of the belt, if the belt moves over far enough, will come in contact with said cams. Each cam is mounted upon a vertical shaft 7r, which is rotatively secured in a suitable bearing on the side of the main frame B, the lower end of said shaft being provided with a bevel-gear 7c A cross-shaft lc suitably mounted, carries at each end a pinion 70 which meshes with the adjacent gear It, by which connection the two cams K are operated in unison. Meshing with one of the bevel-gears 7cthat one which is shown in Fig. 2is a pinion 7%, which has a threaded hub k suitably mounted against movement other than rotary, as is shown in Fig. 5. Into this hub is threaded the end of a pull-rod 7c, the other end of which is connected, through a bracket 7c, with the connecting-bar J, which extends between the controlling-rollers. It will now be seen that if the belt crawls over to one sidefor example, toward the drivingshaft side, (shown in Fig. 1) the flange of the belt will eventually come in contact with the face of the cam K on that side, and, assuming the belt to be moving in the direction of the arrow, it will cause said cam to turn on its axis. This movement will be transmitted through its shaft 7c, bevel-gear 7c, pinions 7c, cross-shaft 76 and pinion k to the threaded hub k whereby the latter will be rotated. This hub acting as a nut will move the rod 7c lineally, and this movement of the rod will through its bracket connection it with the connecting-bar J swing the controlling-rollers H in unison to the proper angle to cause the belt to crawl back again. When it reaches the near side and comes in contact with the cam K on said side, the rollers H will be swung to a reverse inclination to again control the direction of the crawl of the belt. This is in briefthe general automatic control of the rollers H effected by the belt itself. Certain special features of construction must now be noted in this connection. The first is that the controlling-contacts K are in the shape of cams. The crawl of the belt is rather slow, and it takes a long time to crawl a very short distance. Now if the contacts K were cylindrical the belt after coming in contact with one of them would remain in contact so long that it would continue to readily be seen that the moment the belt= flange touches it and turns it the cam-face moves away from the belt-flange, and the cam ceases to turn; but the motion it has received is sufficient to adjust the rollers H. If the adjustment is not enough and the belt continues to crawl in the same direction, it will again momentarily turn the cam-contact K, which will adjust the rollers to a further extent until the adjustment is sufficient to cause the belt to crawl back again. In the meantime the cam-contact of the near side has been turned by means of the intervening connections by the turning of the first camcontact, and this movement of the second contact being the opposite of that of the first the former is turned to present its face of greater diameter to be first reached by the returning belt, so that when the contact is made it will turn with a receding face under the contact, with the result already described. A second feature to be noted is that the connection of the pull-rod is" with the bracket 15 is, as shown in Fig. 2, an adjustable one formed by threading the rod through the bracket. This adjustment is for the purpose of initially determining and fixing the proper relation of the connection of the rod with the bracket, so that an initial relative properor average relation may be established between 9 the position of the controlling-rollers relatively to belt and to the cam-contacts in or-- der that there may be the proper play of all parts on each side of said initial position.

The belt-carrying frame B has imparted to it a lateral rocking movementabout the feet of its su porting-standards C and C as centers. T 's movement is one which at and near one limit or turn is relatively quick and sudden and at the other limit is relatively slow and gentle. This is to take advantage of inertia to effect a separation of the particles of different specific gravities on the belt in the general direction sidewise from the point of feed to the point of. discharge. The means here shown for imparting such a differentiated lateral rocking movement are as follows: In Figs. 1 and 3, L is the drivingshaft, carrying the fast and loose pulleys Z and 1. One end of tnis shaft carries a crankdisk 1", from a wrist-pin of which depends, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4, a link Z to tne lower end of which is connected a crank m of a rock-shaft M. The rock-shaft has two cranks m, to which are connected the links m which, as shown in Fig. 1, pass under the frame B and belt F to the other side of the frame, to which they are secured, as seen in Figs. 1 and 4. As the shaft L is continuously rotated it imparts to the shaft M a rocking movement, which movement through the cross-links m is imparted to the frame and belt. This movement, owing to the construction and relative arrangement of the connections, is one which gives to the belt a relatively slower and gentle motion at and about the limit remote from the drivingshaft and a relatively quick or sudden motion at the limit or turn near the drive-shaft. If, now, We suppose the material to be fed upon the belt on the side remote from the driveshaft, the effect of this differential movement is, first, to separate the constituent particles of the material according to their specific gravities, the heavier particles or concentrates sinking to the belt-surface, while the lighter particles or gangue lie above, and, second, by reason of the sudden jerk, taking advantage of inertia, the heavier particles.

being in a lower strata and in frictional contact with the belt are not carried sidemse as far as the overriding gangue, which latter therefore moves over faster than the concentrates and will reach the other side first 5 but as it is intended in this belt-machine to add to this separation effect the further feature of discharging the concentrates and the gangue separately at the foot of the belt the said belt is given a travel continuous or intermittent, preferably the latter, in the direction of its length in order to carry the material while separating under the shaking movement into its constituent particles to said foot. The means for effecting this are as follows: To the end of the rock-shaft M opposite its main crank m is secured a depending crank m Fig. 3, in which is mounted rotatively a screw-stem m adapted to be turned by a hand-wheel m, as seen in Fig. 1. Upon this screw-stem is a nut m, Fig. 3, to which is connected a link N, Fig. 1, which passes beneath the machine to the other side and is secured to one arm of an elbow-lever O, pivoted to the frame B, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. To the other arm of this elbow-lever is connected a link 0, the other end of which is connected with the depending arm of a bell-crank friction-lever P, pivoted in the axis of a friction-wheel Q, fixed on the shaft of the terminal drum E, which is the driver for the belt. This friction-wheel has a peripheral flange 9, Fig. 2, against which operates a small roll R, which intervenes between it and the properlyshaped end of the horizontal arm of the bellcrank friction-lever P. By the rocking of the shaft M the-lever P through the several connections described effects the intermittent rotation of the friction-wheel Q, which correspondingly operates the drum E and intermittently drives the belt in the direction of the arrow to the discharge end of the machine. The screw on effects the proper adjustment of the connecting CIOSS-llIlk N.

Under the discharge end of the machine is a receiv ng-box S, which, as shown in Fig. 1, has a partition 8, dividing the box into separate compartments, the one, s, for the gangue, and the other, 8 for the concentrates. In the former compartment is a stirrer T of any suitable description, Figs. 1 and 3 carried by a revoluble shaft 25, which is driven by a bevel-gear t on its top, with which meshes a gear a on the end of a properly-jointed tumbler-shaft U, driven by the shaft L. The purpose of this stirrer is to keep the contents sufficiently agitated to prevent it from filling up with sand.

The operation of the machine will now be understood. The material namely, the pulp, together with wateris supplied to the belt from a suitable chute or spout at the place indicated by the dotted circle W in Fig. 1. By reason of a sag in the belt, due to raising the head-roller, this place W, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is sufficiently lower than that portion or head of the belt passing over the head-drum D to prevent the water or pulp from flowing backward over said headdrum. It forms a dam, as it were, against such flow. The material is supplied wholly undistributed. It may be here stated that the functional surface of the belt-that is, that portion from the line of feed down to the discharge endmay be level or it may be inclined laterally or inclined toward the dis charge end, or by a combination of inclines the belt may have its corner where the concentrates discharge lower than any other portion. These are matters of adjustment, to be effected by the adjustment of the standards C and C; but they only affect the operation in degree and not in principle. When the material is fed undistributed, as stated, at the point W, it is afiected, first, as to separation by the lateral shake in the manner heretofore describedthat is, the gangue travels in the general lateral direction faster than the concentratesand, second, by the travel of the belt, carrying all the particles and wa ter in the direction of the discharge end. The gangue thus travels in a diagonal course of greater angle than the diagonal course of the concentrates, so that when they reach the discharge end the gangue falls into compartment 8 of box S, while the concentrates fall into compartment 8 Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an endless-belt concentrator, adjustable controllin'g-rollers relatively disposed to the belt to counteract by their change of inclination, the lateral crawl of the belt, in combination with mechanism actuated by the traveling belt, itself, in crawling, to effect the adjustment of said controlling-rollers.

2. In an endless-belt concentrator, adjustable controlling-rollers relatively disposed to' the belt to counteract by their change of inclination, the lateral crawl of the belt, in combination with mechanism actuated by the traveling belt, itself, in crawling, to effect the adjustment of said controlling-rollers consisting of revoluble contacts with which the sides of the belt engage, and suitable connections from said contacts to the controllingrollers.

3. In an endless-belt concentrator, adjustable controlling-rollers relatively disposed to the belt to counteract by their change of inclination the lateral crawl of the belt, in combination with mechanism actuated by the traveling belt, itself, in crawling, to effect the adjustment of said controlling rollers consisting of receding contacts with which the sides of the belt engage, and suitable connections from said contacts to the controlling-rollers.

4. In an endless-belt concentrator, adj ustable controlling-rollers relatively disposed to the belt to counteract by their change of inclination, the lateral crawl of the belt, in combination with mechanism actuated by the traveling belt, itself, in crawling, to effect the adjustment of said controlling-rollers,-

consisting of revoluble cam-contacts upon the receding faces of which the sides of the belt impinge to momentarily turn them, and suitable connections from said contacts to the controlling-rollers.

5. In an endless-belt concentrator, adjustable controlling-rollers relatively disposed to the belt to counteract by their change of inclination, the lateral crawl of the belt, in combination with mechanism actuated by the traveling belt, itself, in crawling, to effect the adjustment of said controlling-rollers,

consisting of a pair of relatively oppositelyarranged revoluble cam-contacts upon the receding faces of which the sides of the belt impinge to momentarily turn them, one of said cam-contacts being on each side of the belt, connections for operating said cam-contacts in unison, and suitable connections from said contacts to the controlling-rollers.

6. In an endless-belt concentrator, adjustable controlling-rollers relatively disposed to the belt to counteract, by their change of inclination, the lateral crawl of the belt, in combination with mechanism actuated by the traveling belt, itself, in crawling, to effect the adjustment of said controlling-rollers, consisting of a pair of relatively oppositelyarranged revoluble cam-contacts upon the receding faces of which the sides of the belt impinge to momentarily turn them, one of said cam-contacts being oneach side of the belt, connections for operating said cam-contacts in unison, a connection between the controlling-rollers to effect their adjustment in unison, and an adjustable connection between the cam-contacts and the interconnection of the controlling-rollers, to operate them.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

MARTIN P. BOSS. Witnesses:

J. COMPTON, D. B. RICHARDS.

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